Same-sex couples marry at San Francisco City Hall ahead of Pride weekend
Andy Correa and his newlywed husband Panchanit Wongsrila
SAN FRANCISCO - Dozens of same-sex couples celebrated their weddings in San Francisco's City Hall Friday to kick off the city's annual Pride festivities.
It's become a tradition.
In 2004, then-Mayor Gavin Newsom authorized the issuing of marriage licenses to same-sex couples despite it violating state and federal laws at the time.
And ten years ago, the City Clerk's office stayed open extra hours to accommodate the rush after the Supreme Court overturned a ban on same-sex marriage.
As many as 250 couples of all ages and races gathered downtown Friday in their best formal wear to tie the knot.
Some wore more traditional outfits and colors, such as the black suit and white dress, and others, such as Charlotte Grigsby, made her own dress.
Charlotte Grigsby and her wife Chris Hardy.
"It's a celebration…everyone has the right to be who they are," said Grigsby's wife Chris Hardy.
"It's important for us to get married on Pride," said Grigsby. "I think, now more than ever, it's important for gay[s] and lesbians to show up for their trans families."
The couple was joined by their child Winslow, who was sporting a rainbow flag as a cape.
"Normalizing queer love is important. We have Pride because queer rights aren't everywhere in the country," said Grigsby.
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Despite "everything they do is a political statement," the couple said that wasn't their motivator. Instead, their motivator was and is simple: love.
Wearing soft pink suits with LGBTQ rainbow flag pins, newlyweds Andy Correa and Panchanit Wongsrila were wed in front of friends and family.
"Today is special. We have friends and family sharing love," said Correa.
SF park-goers ahead of Pride weekend.
Outside of City Hall in the green space was another colorful sight for sore eyes: several types of pride flags were being sold, including flags of different countries with rainbow colors.
People held pride-colored hand fans and allies sold items showing their support for the LGBTQ+ community in anticipation of the upcoming weekend Pride Parade.